ProVantage Software Inc. ' ProVantage

ProVantage Suite 7.0 is a time and
expense billing and practice management
suite that also offers trust accounting,
contact management functions, and
includes an integrated GL and various
budgeting tools. The system, which
was originally geared toward the
legal profession, supports multiple
billing options and rate structures.
Pricing for the system starts at
$500 per user, with a minimum of
five users.

EASE OF USE – 3.5 Stars
ProVantage is based on several modules,
with most day-to-day functions for
timekeepers accessed via the Time
& Cost Accounting and Client/Matter
Management modules. Most of the
modules and individual work screens
provide a standardized interface,
with a vertical tab-based menu on
the left of the screen providing
access to key components of the
program. Additional icons for features
are available across the standard
toolbar menu at the top of the screen.
The primary work area of the window
provides tab-based access to data
entry and other functions, and,
depending upon the work being performed,
these windows provide spreadsheet-style
lists of timesheets, clients or
projects.

Time and expense entry is performed
through the Time & Cost Accounting
screen, which provides menu options
and controls specific to this task.
The system enables quick selection
of clients and projects from intuitive
lists that also provide access to
fee codes, descriptions and special
actions. These lists can be searched
or sorted, whether looking up entities,
clients, projects, accounts, vendors
or users. Fee and cost entries automatically
create unposted transactions in
the appropriate GL account, and
fee and cost rate tables define
standard, job class, fee code or
bill code rates at the firm, client,
project or timekeeper level. Access
to rate codes and other sensitive
areas can be limited by user or
task using the program’s security
features. ProVantage includes wizards
for assisting users through many
of the system’s processes.
New in version 7.0, drill-down tabs
in fees, costs, draft bills and
AR provide detailed entry, billing
and system information on items.

MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS – 5 Stars
ProVantage supports an unlimited
number of timekeepers and clients,
and can be used to bill via time-based,
split, value-based or flat-fee methods.
Through a variety of modules, it
includes AP, AR, GL, conflicts management,
trust accounting, collections, records
management, budgeting and marketing
functions. System modules include
Time & Cost Accounting, Client/Matter
Management, Client Billing, Business
Intelligence, Financial Management,
Practice Development and Reporting.
The system’s central component
provides management of the program,
including client/staff management
functions and workflow management
administration. The program’s
Client Portfolio function allows
access to a drill-down summary of
all financial information related
to client groups, clients or projects.
The Executive Portfolio provides
senior managers and partners with
performance and productivity analysis
tools, including additional drill-down
functionality, providing access
to summary or detail data by office,
department, practice group, specialty
area, billable and non-billable
work, activity, and variances.

Also new in this latest version,
additional security features have
been added to Collections and several
other areas. As well, a new application
was added that maintains sets of
percentages for use when adding
AP invoices, aiding firms who split
expenses by department, where each
department has a set percentage
for which they are responsible.
The system provides two methods
of remote data entry. ProVantage
Briefcase allows mobile users to
download WIP to their laptop, update
time entries on the road and synch
those changes once back in the office.
ProVantage iFee allows browser-based
access to entering time and expense
data. The system supports PDA-based
entry through iFee when using a
Webscape interface on the PDA.

BILLING & REPORTING FEATURES – 4.5 Stars
ProVantage uses Crystal Reports
to offer more than 180 standard
reports that can be accessed by
authorized staff from anywhere in
the program, and includes reports
for financial, client/project, marketing
and productivity data. The system
also includes Exception Reporting
that alerts specified users to particular
situations such as past due bills
or missing time. The system’s
customizable billing functionality
includes anytime draft bill printing
and previewing and final bills and
collections letters that are produced
in Microsoft Word. Financial statements
are produced in Microsoft Excel.
The Forms Designer function allows
significant customization of bills
or creation of invoice templates.

INTEGRATION – 4 Stars
ProVantage is fully integrated with
Microsoft Office for document and
financial statement production,
and with Outlook for contact management,
communications, calendaring and
e-mail. The company offers conversion
services, but the software does
not directly integrate with third-party
accounting packages (it includes
its own GL, however). Import/export
functionality is also limited, although
ProVantage can produce invoices
in the LEDES and other formats for
electronic billing purposes. It
can also capture data in Client
Portfolio and export it into various
formats, and reports can be exported
into Word, Excel or even HTML.

SUPPORT/HELP – 3.5 Stars
ProVantage has a good built-in help
utility that includes context-sensitive
features and right-click menu options.
The vendor provides access to program
updates, white papers, demos, and
other resources on its web site,
but there is no online knowledgebase,
FAQs or online support. (The company
noted that a knowledgebase will
be added to the web site very soon.)
Several training options are available.

RELATIVE VALUE – 4.5 Stars
ProVantage is geared toward the
needs of mid-sized and larger firms
desiring a single, integrated application
to manage their time and billing,
reporting, workflow management,
communications and financial functions.
These firms will find the greatest
value in the many add-on modules
of the program, although ProVantage
is installed in many smaller firms
as well. The program’s interface
provides access to almost all of
the primary functions of the program,
which aids in usability.

2004 OVERALL RATING: 4 Stars

The programs reviewed here all provide
basic time management functions,
allow for tracking of expenses,
and offer invoicing and a variety
of managerial reporting. They differ
in their approaches to these functions
and some offer additional tools
such as contact management, scheduling
applications and communications
tools. After consulting with professional
accountants and vendors, we scored
the software in this review in each
of the following areas:

Ease of Use ‘ The most challenging part of implementing a time and billing

regimen is ensuring that staff members use the system
properly, whether by operating in-progress
timers or entering time after-the-fact.
If the system isn’t easy to
use, with intuitive navigation,
staff won’t be as reliable
in their use of the program, and
time or expenses may get lost.

Management Features ‘ This section identifies how the program handles time

and flat-rate billing, the number of clients and timekeepers supported, multi-currency

capabilities, calendaring tools, contact management functions and whether the program allows

remote entry of time, client, and expense data by PDA or web-based interface.

Billing & Reporting Features ‘ The billing capabilities of these programs

obviously affect their overall value to a
firm. This section looks at AR functions,
as well as aging, rates and code
structures, split/partial/interim
billing, markups on expenses and
invoice options. As well, the reporting
functions of the programs are examined,
specifically with regard to standard
reports, productivity analysis reports,
customization options and final
output.

Integration ‘ This section looks at the ability of a program to share data

with GL, payroll or other accounting programs, as well as with office productivity

applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.

Support/Help ‘ Here we assess a program’s built-in help utilities, online
support options, availability of
training and whether support options
are included or available for an
added cost.

Relative Value ‘ This section provides the reviewer’s subjective opinion of

what the user gets for the price. There is some variance in the pricing of the programs in

this review, but it is not very wide. Value, of course, is not exclusively related to cost.

However, sometimes the best deal is not the cheapest, and sometimes the most expensive

option does not provide the best function.